The 19 Best DSPs to Optimize Ecommerce Ad Spend in 2025
The 10 Top DSPs for Ecommerce Brands in 2025
Hey, look—a top 10 list! That’s right, these are our top 10 picks for DSPs (that’s demand side platforms) that ecommerce brands should be using for smart programmatic advertising.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
Marketing isn't the easiest task, but there's nothing more essential for the growth of your ecommerce store. A well-placed advertisement is the bridge between you and your most loyal future customers.
But, doing it willy nilly is just a waste of cash. That's why the best ecommerce stores are powered by awesome demand side platforms (DSPs, for those who prefer brevity).
Take a peek at the ad strategies of your fave brands with an ad intelligence tool and you'll see a sophisticated array of DSPs driving their marketing success.
Demand side platforms might seem like a niche tool, but they pack a punch—automated ad buying, precise audience targeting, real-time bidding, and cross-channel campaign management, to name just a few.
While your ecommerce platform might cover the basics early on, scaling up requires the power of specialized tools. For advertising, this means finding the top DSP to maximize your ROI and streamline your ad efforts.
That's where we step in (and why you're reading this intro right now, let’s be honest).
With my ecommerce expertise and our comprehensive scoring system, we've rounded up the top demand side platforms to transform your store into the advertising powerhouse you envision.
What is a Demand Side Platform (DSP)?
A demand-side platform (DSP) is a tool for those who want to take the hassle out of ad buying. Think of it as your tech-savvy matchmaker, putting your brand’s ads in front of the right eyeballs without you having to lift a finger every time.
In short, it automates the buying of digital ad space across the web, allowing you to bid in real-time for placements on multiple websites, apps, and channels simultaneously.
DSPs serve a wide variety of ad formats—display, video, mobile, and even connected TV (CTV) ads—so you can diversify where and how people see your brand.
With real-time bidding (RTB), a DSP lets you join live auctions for ad space, targeting the specific audience segments you care about most. And if you’ve ever been burned by poorly performing traffic sources, DSPs offer real-time performance tracking so you can see what’s working, stop what isn’t, and optimize your campaign on the fly.
For any ecommerce leader who’s juggling multiple ad platforms, a DSP brings everything under one roof, making it easier to scale campaigns, boost brand visibility, and get your message out to the people most likely to buy.
In today’s fast-moving ad world, DSPs are like the seasoned pros that know every trick in the digital advertising book.
Why Trust Our Demand Side Platform Reviews
We’ve been testing and reviewing ecommerce software since 2021.
As ecommerce experts ourselves, we know how critical, and how difficult it is to make the right decision when selecting software.
We invest in deep research to help our audience make better software purchasing decisions.
We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools for different ecommerce use cases and written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews.
Learn how we stay transparent & our review methodology.
Comparing the Top DSPs for Ecommerce, Side-by-Side
Let’s look at this in one simple comparison table, folks. First up, the pricing details for our top demand side platforms. Then, click Compare Software to see other feature comparison.
| Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  StackAdapt Develop the best plan before launching programmatic campaigns. | Best for campaign planning | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website |
| 2 |  Demandbase Create audiences robust cross-object filters to discover segments not possible through traditional marketing automation. | Best for go-to-market strategies | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website |
| 3 |  Criteo Get an overview of audience insights to optimize real-time campaigns or tailor audiences for future campaigns. | Best for ad retargeting | Free demo available | From $1/click. | Website |
| 4 |  Taboola Receive up-to-date trends to help develop successful campaigns for a brand in real time. | Best for native advertising | Free demo available | From $10/day. | Website |
| 5 |  The Trade Desk Transparent reporting and insights will measure the ad campaign’s impact based on business goals. | Best number of advertising channels | Free demo available. | From 17% of ad spend. | Website |
| 6 |  Xandr Create premium ad campaigns with creative templates to reach target audiences. | Best for reaching smart TV households | Not available | Pricing upon request | Website |
| 7 |  Google Marketing Platform Enterprise Connect multiple Google products to one platform and uncover hidden data insights. | Best for in-depth analytics | Not available | From $12,500/month. | Website |
| 8 |  Emerse A/B testing for ad creatives will provide insights into which ads are performing best. | Best for ad optimization | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website |
| 9 |  Adobe Advertising Cloud Use the spend and budget recommendation tools to receive effective budget distribution suggestions to get the best return. | Best for TV advertisements | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website |
| 10 |  Adform Target specific audiences and measure the potential impact of campaigns. | Best for healthy traffic | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website |
How to Choose the Best Demand Side Platform
Choosing the right demand-side platform (DSP) isn’t just about finding one that works—it’s about finding one that works for you.
Here’s a straightforward guide to help you make the best choice:
- Look at inventory and reach. Your DSP should open doors, not keep them shut. Look for one that connects to a broad range of ad exchanges, supply-side platforms (SSPs), and premium publishers. The wider the inventory, the better your chances of reaching specific audiences globally and across the channels that matter to your business—whether that’s mobile, display, video, or even connected TV (CTV).
- Check out the targeting options. Advanced targeting can make or break your campaign. Look for DSPs that offer demographic, behavioral, contextual, and geographic targeting. Bonus points if they allow you to bring in your own first-party data, add third-party data integrations, or even create lookalike audiences based on your existing customers. This will help you zero in on the people who are most likely to engage with (and buy from) you.
- Demand transparency and reporting. If you can’t see what’s working (or not), you’re flying blind. Prioritize DSPs that offer clear, detailed reporting and real-time tracking. A great DSP should have customizable dashboards where you can dig into campaign performance metrics. Real-time data and granular insights let you spot underperforming traffic sources and fine-tune your ads on the fly.
- Check ease of use and support. You don’t want a DSP that feels like it requires a degree in rocket science. A clean, intuitive interface can make a huge difference when you’re juggling multiple campaigns. Some DSPs offer robust training resources, onboarding support, and even a dedicated customer success team. These perks can be especially valuable if you’re running complex campaigns or new to DSP management models, like full-service versus self-service.
- Get clear on pricing models. Pricing in the DSP world can be tricky. You’ll see options like CPM-based pricing (cost per thousand impressions), flat-fee subscriptions, or fees as a percentage of your media spend. Some DSPs also offer private marketplace deals or programmatic guaranteed deals, which can affect costs and flexibility. Be sure to weigh the pricing model against the features offered and the potential ROI—you want your DSP to stretch your ad dollars, not drain them.
The 10 Best Demand Side Platforms for Ecommerce, Reviewed
Here, we’ll review the best demand side platforms, highlighting their top features, their pros and cons, and screenshots that show the interface.
StackAdapt uses machine learning processes to help brands plan ad buying campaigns to grow their business using multiple channels.
Why I picked StackAdapt: I chose to add StackAdapt to this list because of its ability to help your ecommerce business plan ad campaigns. It provides a creative studio that will help you test your campaigns before launching and get access to data-driven campaigns’ potential. StackAdapt’s ad previewer feature allows you to evaluate the performance of your marketing campaigns beforehand.
StackAdapt Standout Features and Integrations
Features include cross-channel ad formats to launch video, native, desktop, tablet, and mobile campaigns. StackAdapt provides campaign effectiveness measurement tools that use artificial intelligence-powered reports that you can schedule to deliver precise performance reports.
Integrations include connections with third-party systems that will help you add or expand advertising capabilities through popular platforms. These include AgencyAnalytics, Airbyte, Databox, HubSpot, Improvado, Measured, NinjaCat, Salesforce, Tray.io, Windsor.ai, and other software options.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Easy to use and understand.
- Flexibility to execute various strategies.
- World-class support.
Cons:
- Creative management tool is clunky.
- Reporting navigation can be complex.
Demandbase helps B2B ecommerce brands find go-to-market opportunities earlier and create more intelligent marketing campaigns.
Why I picked Demandbase: If your business focuses on B2B sales, I added Demandbase to this list to help you develop go-to-market strategies to help you plan campaigns to engage with potential customers and convince them to buy your products. Demandbase helps you focus on account-based campaigns and build a unified account data foundation. You can use the platform to connect your first-party data with Demandbase’s third-party data and artificial intelligence to increase your pipeline and revenue.
Demandbase Standout Features and Integrations
Features include in-depth insights to help you identify where your teams need to close more sales by contacting decision-makers who are ready to buy. Demandbase also provides automation capabilities that handle your tedious account-based marketing tasks to help you save time and develop a more robust pipeline.
Integrations include connections with some of the top systems ecommerce businesses use to manage their operations. You can integrate Demandbase with applications such as Adobe Analytics, Domo, Google Analytics, HubSpot, Marketo, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Optimizely, Salesforce, Slack, Workato, and other software options.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Clean user interface.
- Provides in-market account intelligence.
- Monitors how long prospects look at content.
Cons:
- Experiences glitches from time to time.
- Reporting can be more intuitive.
Criteo helps brands reach target audiences and increase impressions by providing dynamic retargeting capabilities.
Why I picked Criteo: The platform is among some of the top demand side platforms because of its dynamic retargeting features. Criteo’s AI Engine can monitor your customers’ engagement and uses its retargeting capabilities to power product recommendations in your advertisements. Criteo provides access to some of the best ad inventory on the market with thousands of top publishers that allow you to get better placements for your retargeting campaigns.
Criteo Standout Features and Integrations
Features include contextual advertising tools that leverage commerce and contextual data to enhance your campaigns. Criteo also offers retail media features that can reach and convert shoppers via relevant ads near your digital retailer and marketplace websites’ digital point of sale.
Integrations include connections with select third-party platforms that Criteo puts through an extensive review process to ensure best-in-class service to enhance your processes. These include Adjust, Blueshift, Census, Flowbox, Klaviyo, Leadsbridge, MightySignal, mParticle, Oracle Data Cloud, Shopify Plus, and other software options.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Clear performance reports.
- Simple navigation.
- Easy to use.
Cons:
- Support needs work.
- Inconsistent performance.
Taboola provides native advertising capabilities that allow ecommerce businesses to build brand awareness by connecting with the right audience throughout all web platforms.
Why I picked Taboola: Through native advertisement tools from Taboola, you can publish content on some of the top websites across the internet. You can use Taboola to effectively target B2C or B2B audiences and operate separate campaigns if you target both of these audiences. The platform also offers comprehensive reporting tools that help you monitor real-time content performance across your web channels.
Taboola Standout Features and Integrations
Features include advanced predictive engines that process inputs from various sources to ensure your content matches the readers’ needs, meaning your ads will only reach target audiences. Taboola also allows audiences to rate and share your content on various social media platforms, allowing you to reach even more people.
Integrations include over 50 popular systems that help ecommerce businesses enhance workflows and automate processes. These connections include applications such as Brax, Desktop.com, Hevo, HubSpot CRM, Improvado, Retargetly, Sitejet, TapClicks, wecantrack, WordPress, and other software options.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent customer support.
- Simple campaign setup.
- Precise KPIs.
Cons:
- Approval system needs work.
- User interface is bulky.
The Trade Desk allows ecommerce merchants to reach audiences throughout their digital journeys via an extensive number of advertising channels.
Why I picked The Trade Desk: The platform works well with demand side platform experts and newbies that want to use any kind of ad channel to reach their audience. The Trade Desk allows you to use advertising channels such as connected TV, video, audio, digital out-of-home, mobile, display, and native ads. When using The Trade Desk, your online store will receive guaranteed, high-quality traffic at excellent volumes.
The Trade Desk Standout Features and Integrations
Features include reporting tools that allow you to analyze performance throughout the impression-to-conversion stages. You will also get planning tools that help you activate more data, collect audience insights, and focus your budget on the best media and strategies.
Integrations include connections with beneficial third-party systems such as Adjust, Blueshift, Hightouch, Live Ramp, mParticle, NinjaCat, Permutive, Salesforce, Tealium, Tray.io, and other software options. The Trade Desk also provides an API that allows you to create custom connections with your current toolset.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Short learning curve.
- Helpful customer support.
- User-friendly interface.
Cons:
- Reporting doesn’t go past 90 days.
- Expensive fees.
Xandr is one of the leading demand side platforms that provide programmatic advertising to help brands reach households with smart TVs.
Why I picked Xandr: The platform provides your brand with high-quality traffic by helping you advertise your ecommerce business to smart TV households. Xandr allows you to achieve your greatest advertising outcomes by providing access to exclusive inventory, powerful statistics, precise targeting, and data management. Xandr also gathers top-class, first-party data to help you can target any of the over 2,500 audience segments.
Xandr Standout Features and Integrations
Features include real-time campaign attribution that uses a robust reporting system that provides digestible and visualized statistic bites to give you a highlight of advertising performance. The platform also offers a significant number of cross-channel ad formats, such as mobile display, in-app ads, programmatic audio, and more, that are clearly rendered in necessary environments and can be delivered in all suitable resolutions.
Integrations include third-party systems that will help automate many advertising processes and allow you to create simple workflows. These connections include applications such as Adplorer, Advendio, Bidetellect, Humming, Meetrics, PubPower, Qloo, Retargetly, The Moneytizer, Yieldlab, and other software options.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Many targeting options are available.
- Easy to use.
- Simple user interface.
Cons:
- Long creative approvals.
- Needs more fraud detection capabilities.
Google Marketing Platform Enterprise provides large ecommerce businesses with a unified advertising and analytics platform that allows them to develop smarter marketing campaigns and get better results.
Why I picked Google Marketing Platform Enterprise: You might already be using some of Google’s products within your ecommerce brand, so I put Google Marketing Platform Enterprise in this article for you to consider one more Google tool for your operations. When using the platform, you can use the built-in intelligence tool to automatically discover your best marketing insights, so you can achieve your goals as fast as possible. Google Marketing Platform Enterprise easily allows you to get an overview of your campaigns and find out what’s working so you can make the best data-driven decisions to improve performance and deliver quality experiences.
Google Marketing Platform Enterprise Standout Features and Integrations
Features include the Display and Video 360 tool that allows you to manage everything in your campaigns, from planning and creative development to campaign measurement and enhancement. The platform also provides the Search Ads 360 tool to help you optimize search engine marketing campaigns.
Integrations include connections with third-party systems that will allow you to pass critical data between applications to enhance campaigns. These integrations include tools such as Adjust, BlueShift, CallRail, CallTrackingMetrics, Google Analytics 360, Invoca, LoginRadius, mParticle, NinjaCat, Salesforce, and other software options.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Allows simple access to marketing tools.
- Simple ad management interface.
- One-stop shop for digital marketing.
Cons:
- Very expensive.
- Steep learning curve.
Emerse provides machine learning and A/B testing capabilities to help ecommerce brands optimize their advertising campaigns when using their demand side platform.
Why I picked Emerse: Not only is it important to have high-performing campaigns, but understanding when to enhance and optimize your campaigns is also essential - which is where Emerse comes in. I added Emerse to the article because of its ability to optimize your ad content and help you focus on the best-performing creatives. Emerse can help you build the best ad creatives dynamically and use its reinforcement machine learning algorithm to automatically deliver your budget towards the best ad combo.
Emerse Standout Features and Integrations
Features include flexible tools that allow you to start and monitor advertising campaigns whenever you like through Emerse’s self-service platform. Emerse allows you to build your own dataset, or you can use the platform’s library of third-party sources to enhance your future campaigns.
Integrations include a small number of software connections that can help you increase your business operations and productivity. These connections are Aikido Security, EcommerceBlocks, and MessageMedia.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Simple reporting tools.
- Provides detailed ad statistics.
- Dynamic A/B testing.
Cons:
- Needs more customization capabilities.
- Lack of integrations.
Adobe Advertising Cloud helps brands create all types of TV advertising campaigns across many devices to enable them to reach a wider audience.
Why I picked Adobe Advertising Cloud: I believe what makes Adobe Advertising Cloud an excellent choice for this article is its ability to provide your brand with access to more than 50 TV broadcasters. It focuses on TV advertising and other beneficial ad formats, inventory management, and people-based marketing that will increase your return on investment. Adobe Advertising Cloud also allows you to easily manage and track advertising campaigns in a single area.
Adobe Advertising Cloud Standout Features and Integrations
Features include artificial intelligence optimization that provides spend forecasts and real-time campaign optimization opportunities. Adobe Advertising Cloud also has content creation tools that will help you connect creative and marketing teams and allow them to create a significant number of ads at scale.
Integrations include connections with some of the best systems that will allow you to add features and automate advertising tasks. These include Adobe Analytics, BlueShift, Branch.io, Improvado, Invoca, NinjaCat, Tealium, Uptempto, Zendesk, and other software options.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Manageable interface.
- Provides real-time data.
- Reliable work environment.
Cons:
- Uploading large files is slow.
- Difficult to use.
Adform helps brands get the best possible return from their advertising by providing top-quality, healthy traffic from various environments.
Why I picked Adform: As many people know, healthy traffic is the best kind, so I wanted to add Adform to this list for this reason alone. Adform generates 100% healthy, viewable traffic that is bot-free and eliminates other ad fraud threats. When using Adform, you will get the best traffic from top countries such as the US, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, and other beneficial traffic regions.
Adform Standout Features and Integrations
Features include a broad advertising reach thanks to the tool’s integration with some of the largest traffic partners, ensuring you reach the best audiences globally. Adform allows you to generate reports in real-time and on-demand after choosing relevant performance criteria to make a report.
Integrations include connections with various systems to enhance productivity, such as Browsi, Channable, Data Virtuality, Lyftrondata, Onlymega, Publitas, ROIVENUE, Salesforce, Tray.io, Zuuvi, and other software options. Adform also has an API you can use to create custom integrations with your current applications.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Regular updates.
- Friendly user interface.
- Excellent custom reporting capabilities.
Cons:
- Needs more tracking visualizations.
- Lacks optimization for smaller screens.
Other Options
The above list is fairly robust, and I believe that you’ll find some worthwhile demand side platform options. However, I decided to add some other options below for your consideration.
- Amazon DSP
For advertising on Amazon
- Moloco
For performance-based advertising
- AdButler
Self-serve advertising marketplace.
- Platform.io
White label DSP.
- Genius Monkey
Fully managed demand side platform.
- Readpeak
For content-driven advertising.
- MediaMath
Omnichannel demand side platform.
- Connexity
For understanding ecommerce customers.
- Brandzooka
Self-service TV and digital ad buying platform.
Our Selection Criteria for Demand Side Platforms
Demand side platforms (DSPs) are the backbone of programmatic ad buying, handling everything from targeting to bidding across ad exchanges. But not all DSPs make the cut, so we apply a detailed framework to identify the best of the best.
Here’s how we score them:
Core DSP functionality (25% of total weighting score)
To make our shortlist, a DSP needs to nail the basics:
- Real-time bidding for quick, efficient ad placements.
- Cross-channel management that streamlines campaigns across display, video, mobile, and social media.
- Audience targeting and segmentation to reach your ideal demographics, behaviors, and geographies.
- Detailed reporting and analytics for tracking results and improving campaign performance.
- Integration with major ad exchanges and SSPs for broad inventory access.
Standout features (25% of total weighting score)
We’re looking for DSPs that go beyond the basics with some unique advantages:
- AI-driven optimization to keep your ad performance top-notch.
- Fraud detection and brand safety tools to protect your brand’s reputation.
- First-party data integration to help create more targeted, personalized campaigns.
- Flexible bidding strategies tailored to various campaign goals.
- Cross-device tracking and attribution to measure engagement across user touchpoints.
Usability (10% of total weighting score)
If the platform’s clunky, it’s not making the cut. Here’s what we’re after:
- A user-friendly interface that simplifies campaign setup and management.
- Clear data visualization so you can easily track performance.
- Efficient workflows to save time on daily tasks.
- Customizable interfaces that let users tailor the platform to their preferences.
- Mobile-friendly access for managing campaigns on the go.
Onboarding (10% of total weighting score)
Getting up to speed should be a breeze. We look for:
- Training resources like videos, guides, and webinars.
- Dedicated onboarding specialists to guide you through setup.
- Step-by-step wizards that walk new users through campaign creation.
- Pre-built campaign templates for common ad types, making setup easy.
- Data migration assistance to help transition from previous platforms.
Customer support (10% of total weighting score)
You need support you can count on. We evaluate:
- 24/7 support availability through multiple channels, like live chat, phone, and email.
- Dedicated account managers for enterprise clients who need personalized help.
- Regular platform updates and bug fixes to keep things running smoothly.
- An active user community for peer insights and additional support.
- Proactive communication on any system changes or issues.
Value for money (10% of total weighting score)
We’re all about DSPs that deliver serious bang for your buck. We look for:
- Transparent pricing whether it’s CPM, flat fees, or a percentage of media spend.
- Scalable pricing options to accommodate businesses of all sizes.
- No hidden costs for essential features or integrations.
- Performance guarantees or SLAs for added security.
- Competitive pricing compared to other DSPs on the market.
Customer reviews (10% of total weighting score)
Nothing beats feedback from real users. We consider:
- Overall satisfaction scores across multiple review platforms.
- Specific feedback on key features to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses.
- Reports on customer support experiences for insights into responsiveness.
- Long-term user retention as a sign of reliability and quality.
- Comparisons from users who’ve switched DSPs, giving insight into relative performance.
Trends for Demand Side Platforms in 2025
Demand side platforms (DSPs) are constantly evolving to keep up with digital shifts and new audience expectations. Here’s what’s shaping the DSP landscape going into 2025:
- AI-driven optimization. AI is now essential, powering smarter real-time bidding, refining audience targeting, and enhancing campaign optimization. This helps DSPs place ads with laser precision, boosting ROI as algorithms adapt to campaign data on the fly.
- Privacy-first approaches. As cookies phase out, DSPs are stepping up with privacy-centric targeting methods like contextual ads and first-party data strategies. The goal? Keep ads relevant while respecting user privacy—no cookies required.
- Cross-channel integration explosion. DSPs are covering more ground with channels like connected TV (CTV) and digital out-of-home (DOOH) ads, providing a one-stop platform for unified campaign management. Now brands can engage audiences wherever they are and track it all from one place.
- Sustainability as a standard. DSPs are answering the call for eco-friendly ad options by adding sustainability metrics to track the carbon impact of campaigns. It’s a win for brands looking to reduce their carbon footprint and meet the growing demand for responsible advertising.
- Next-gen measurement models. DSPs are pushing beyond basic click metrics to advanced tools like multi-touch attribution and incrementality testing. These next-gen metrics let advertisers see how each touchpoint contributes to conversions, painting a clearer picture of the customer journey.
These trends underscore DSPs’ push to be smarter, privacy-compliant, eco-conscious, and more adaptable than ever. If you’re advertising in the coming year, look for these capabilities to maximize both your ad spend and audience impact.
Key Features of Top DSPs
Demand side platforms (DSPs) are essential tools for digital advertisers, streamlining the ad buying process and optimizing campaigns across multiple channels. Here are the key features that make DSPs effective for programmatic advertising:
- Real-time bidding (RTB). DSPs participate in ad exchanges, bidding on ad impressions in real-time to maximize placement value and reach the target audience at the optimal moment.
- Advanced targeting options. DSPs offer sophisticated targeting based on demographics, behavior, and location, enabling highly personalized ads that enhance campaign effectiveness.
- Cross-channel integration. Manage campaigns across display, video, mobile, and social media from a single platform, ensuring consistent messaging and optimized performance.
- Data management and analytics. DSPs provide robust tools for collecting and analyzing data, supporting data-driven decisions that refine targeting strategies and improve performance.
- AI and machine learning. Advanced DSPs leverage AI to optimize bidding strategies and audience targeting, automating complex decisions and increasing campaign efficiency.
- Inventory quality control. Features like fraud detection and brand safety measures protect against low-quality placements, ensuring ad spend is used effectively and maintaining brand reputation.
- Customizable reporting and dashboards. Track and visualize key metrics with flexible reporting tools, essential for demonstrating ROI and making informed campaign adjustments.
- Third-party data integration. Enhance targeting and audience insights by incorporating third-party data, improving the effectiveness of first-party data.
- Audience segmentation and management. Create and manage detailed audience profiles for highly targeted ad experiences, crucial for reaching the right audience at the right time.
- Frequency capping and budget management. Control ad frequency and budgets to prevent ad fatigue and ensure efficient spending.
These features make DSPs indispensable for modern advertisers, driving more targeted, cost-effective, and successful programmatic campaigns.
The Benefits of Top DSPs
Demand-side platforms (DSPs) provide numerous advantages for ecommerce merchants aiming to optimize their advertising efforts:
- Enhanced targeting capabilities. DSPs enable precise audience segmentation, allowing you to reach specific demographics, behaviors, and interests with tailored ads. This targeted approach increases conversion rates by delivering relevant content to the right audience.
- Cost efficiency. DSPs optimize ad spend through real-time bidding, ensuring you only pay for ad impressions that meet your criteria. This reduces waste on ineffective placements, maximizing your budget's impact.
- Streamlined campaign management. Managing ad campaigns across various channels from a single platform simplifies the process. DSPs offer centralized control with automated bidding, budget allocation, and ad placements, allowing you to focus on strategy.
- Improved performance and ROI. Real-time analytics provide immediate insights into campaign performance, enabling quick adjustments. Dynamic creative optimization tailors ad content in real-time, improving engagement and ROI.
- Cross-device reach. DSPs ensure your ads reach users across all devices—desktop, mobile, and tablet—providing a consistent message and enhancing the user experience. This multi-device targeting creates cohesive campaigns that follow users as they switch between devices.
- Scalability. DSPs are adaptable to your business's growth, allowing you to scale your advertising efforts without needing proportional increases in resources. They also offer global reach, enabling you to access international ad inventories and expand your market.
- Advanced data utilization. Comprehensive data management capabilities allow you to refine targeting and improve campaign effectiveness. Detailed analytics support informed decision-making, enhancing your strategy with data-driven insights.
- Fraud prevention. DSPs include fraud detection measures, ensuring your ad spend is not wasted on fraudulent activities. Enhanced security features help maintain your brand’s integrity.
These benefits make DSPs essential for driving efficient, targeted, and scalable advertising strategies, ultimately boosting your ecommerce business's performance.
Costs & Pricing of Demand Side Platforms
Demand-side platforms (DSPs) offer a range of pricing models and tiers, so there’s something for every budget—from entry-level options for small brands to full-service plans for ad-heavy enterprises.
Here’s what you can expect in terms of costs and features:
| Plan type | Average price | Common features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level plan | $100-$500/month | Basic ad inventory access, limited targeting options, standard reporting, basic support | Small businesses, startups, or brands new to programmatic advertising seeking affordable options. |
| Mid-tier plan | $1,000-$5,000/month | Full ad inventory access, advanced targeting and optimization, detailed analytics, API access, account support | Growing SMBs that need stronger features and dedicated support. |
| Enterprise plan | $10,000+/month | Custom solutions, AI-driven optimization, premium inventory, white-label options, 24/7 support | Large enterprises with complex ad needs requiring advanced tools and premium support. |
Key points to consider
- Entry-level plans. These plans are great for small businesses or startups just dipping their toes in programmatic advertising. You’ll get essential features like basic inventory access and standard reporting, but expect limited targeting and support options. Ideal for those with a tight budget who want to start small.
- Mid-tier plans. Designed for growing SMBs, mid-tier plans offer more advanced targeting, robust analytics, and sometimes API access for integration. If your programmatic strategy is ramping up and you need dedicated support, these plans give you the right balance of features and affordability.
- Enterprise plans. Customizable for large advertisers, these plans provide premium inventory, advanced AI tools, and white-label options. They’re perfect for enterprises needing top-tier support, 24/7 assistance, and full API integrations to meet complex advertising goals.
Pricing models and considerations
- Percentage of ad spend. Some DSPs, like The Trade Desk and Google Marketing Platform (DV360), charge based on a percentage of ad spend, which can vary significantly depending on the scale of your campaigns—typically a better fit for brands with high ad budgets.
- No free plans. Most major DSPs don’t offer free plans, but they may provide free trials or limited-time demos to help you test the waters before committing.
These tiers offer a general guide, but prices can vary widely depending on your specific needs, ad spend, and desired features.
Demand Side Platforms FAQs
When searching for new DSPs, many people will have additional questions about these systems. Here are some of the most common questions people ask when examining new DSPs and detailed answers to help you.
What is the difference between a demand-side platform (DSP) and a sell-side platform (SSP)?
DSPs are tools for buyers—advertisers who want to bid on ad space across the internet. Think of them as the matchmakers, finding ad space that best fits your audience.
On the flip side, SSPs are for sellers—publishers who have ad space to offer. SSPs list available inventory on ad exchanges, where DSPs can bid for it. Together, DSPs and SSPs connect ad buyers and sellers to make digital advertising simpler and more efficient.
How much do demand-side platforms typically cost?
DSP costs vary, but you’ll usually pay either a flat fee or a percentage of your ad spend. For entry-level plans, expect around $100–$500 per month, with more robust mid-tier options going up to $5,000 monthly. Large enterprises can pay $10,000+ for custom solutions.
Costs depend heavily on the features you need, your ad spend volume, and the complexity of your campaigns. No free options here, though some DSPs offer trials to test the waters.
Can small businesses benefit from using a DSP, or are they mainly for large companies?
Absolutely, DSPs aren’t just for big players anymore. Many platforms have affordable, entry-level plans tailored for small businesses and startups. These plans provide enough tools to automate ad buying, refine targeting, and track results—without the hefty price tag.
If you’re a small business looking to maximize reach without the ad management headache, a DSP could be a smart move.
What types of ads can I run through a DSP?
Most DSPs support a range of ad types, including display, video, mobile, and native ads. Some DSPs even let you run ads on connected TV (CTV) and digital out-of-home (DOOH) screens. This flexibility means you can reach your audience wherever they are—whether that’s browsing on mobile, streaming shows, or scrolling social media.
How do DSPs handle data privacy with the shift away from third-party cookies?
As the world moves beyond third-party cookies, DSPs are focusing on privacy-friendly alternatives like contextual targeting, which serves ads based on the content users are viewing.
Many DSPs also integrate with first-party data sources, allowing advertisers to keep their targeting relevant without sacrificing privacy. It’s all about finding ways to stay effective in a privacy-first world.
Do I need technical expertise to manage campaigns on a DSP?
Not necessarily! While advanced targeting and optimization options exist, many DSPs offer intuitive interfaces designed for marketers of all skill levels.
Platforms vary, so if you’re looking for a plug-and-play option, pick a DSP with a user-friendly setup and good support. Many also offer training resources, step-by-step wizards, and dedicated support for those who need a bit of guidance.
Other Ecommerce Support Software Reviews
Here are other tool reviews for ecommerce support software that you can use alongside your new demand side platform.
- Best Ecommerce Tools
- Landing Page Builders
- Ecommerce Fraud Prevention Software
- Social Commerce Platforms
Make Your Brand in Demand
Good marketers don't shy away from ad spend if they know they can get more back than they put in. It's called ROI, folks. Plus, with great DSPs, you can spend less energy while seeing bigger gains.
Talk about having your cake and eating it, too.
I hope this list enables you to start doing less and getting more for your ecommerce brand. It's a noble (and achievable) goal.
If you’re in the decision process for ecommerce software to handle multiple functions in your online store, or you need more advice to enhance your operations, sign up for The Ecomm Manager Newsletter. As a subscriber, you’ll receive the information and advice you need to save your budget and increase operational productivity.
Related Read: An Expert’s Guide To Ecommerce PPC Management